


Useless

by Book_Mage



Series: Shift [2]
Category: unOrdinary (Webcomic)
Genre: (nothing too graphic but I figured I'd put out a warning just in case), Role Reversal, Seraphina-centric, it's sera's turn now, john-sera roleswap, tw: child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:14:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26572786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Book_Mage/pseuds/Book_Mage
Summary: The day her parents realized Sera was a cripple, she was lauded as useless. Being powerless meant that she was on the bottom, left to fend for herself. For a time, Sera had a brief respite in the form of her two best friends, Claire and Adrion.Then Claire had a vision.Years later, Sera joins Wellston under the mask of a cripple. She's content with her life with the school Ace, John, even if she still gets beat up everyday. Then John gets suspended, and Sera finds herself flung into the crosshairs of Wellston's King, Arlo.It seems her carefully-crafted cover is about to be blown.
Relationships: John Doe & Seraphina (unOrdinary)
Series: Shift [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1928347
Comments: 3
Kudos: 32





	Useless

**Author's Note:**

> TW: child abuse. If you want to skip it, use control-f and head to the passage that begins with "Three Months Later".
> 
> As a side note, certain parts of this one-shot might make some more sense if you read it's companion piece, Perfection. mainly due to me not wanting to repeat certain passages, I'll be glossing over a couple things. You'll probably you be fine though.

Sera walked down the sidewalk to her home, bag slung around her shoulders. Her entire body screamed with pain, being covered in numerous bloody gouges and scrapes. Sera ignored the pain, instead kicking at a stone with her loafers. Her mind was filled with bitter thoughts, and Sera found herself lost in them.

_Every single time I try to fix myself, someone comes along to mess me up. Why can't I be left alone? Why can't I live my life in piece?_

_Why did I have to be a late-bloomer in the first place?_

* * *

Seraphina's parents told every day that she was useless.

“An embarrassment to the family,” Narisa would say scornfully. “Why did you have to be a cripple?”

Her father, Alistair, was slightly more subtle about it. “Why don’t you just try to be like your sister? Maybe you’ll succeed in academics, to make up for your dreadful status.”

Seraphina could only look down at her feet in shame. She’d never asked to be a cripple. Every day, she’d hoped she would gain an ability like her mother’s or father’s, only to be disappointed.

School wasn’t much better. While Sera had some protection, in that her parents were one of the most influential people in New Bostin, that only inspired others to be more creative in their bullying.

‘Accidentally’ tripping her. Sabotage. Spreading rumours. Beating her up behind the school, where none of it could be pinned on them. All of that and more. Her parents turned a blind eye to all of it.

Sera’s life was at rock bottom. Though, if there was one good thing about being there, it’s that there’s only one one to go: up.

* * *

Seraphina walked down the hallway, carrying her stack of textbooks in her arms. She needed to study more if she wanted to get a perfect grade on her test. Even if she didn’t have powers, there’d have to be a way to gain her parent’s approval even if-

“Oops!”

A hand slammed down, knocking Seraphina’s textbooks onto the ground. Seraphina stared down at the books dully.

“Aren’t you going to pick them up?” the bully teased. “Here-!”

He grabbed Seraphina’s head, forcibly shoving her to the ground.

“There you are,” he said. “Groveling in the dirt like all cripples should.”

Laughing, her bully and his lackeys left, leaving Seraphina surrounded by her spilled textbooks. With a sigh, she began grabbing them off the ground, beginning to re-stack them.

“Uhm...”

A girl with green braids handed her a stack of textbooks, smiling. “Here, let me help you!”

Seraphina stared at the girl, who laughed awkwardly. “Just ignore him. He knocks books out of my hands too. He’s a jerk like that, you know?”

“... Thanks,” Seraphina finally said. “I appreciate it.”

“No problem!” the girl said. “It seems we’re both being targeted by him... At least we're not alone now!”

“If you put it that way...” Seraphina muttered. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Claire!” Claire chirped. “You?”

“Seraphina.”

“Hm... That’s kind of long...” Claire muttered. “How about I call you Sera?”

“Oh?” Seraphina said.

“Yeah, that’ll work!” Claire said, snapping her fingers. “Let’s be friends from now on! After all, it’s harder to beat up two people than one!”

And somehow, just like that, we were friends.

* * *

Claire was surprisingly fun to hang out with. While her endless optimism grated on Sera’s nerves from time to time, it was nice to finally have someone to talk to. While most paid Claire no time of day, her endless optimism made her well-liked among the low-tiers.

That was how they met Adrion. He was the most powerful out of all of them (which wasn’t saying much, considering he was a low tier), and they formed a trio of sorts, trying their best to stay out of trouble.

Narisa made her distaste of Adrion and Claire known, from disgusted glances to kicking them out of the house if they were ever caught there. Alistair was more subtle about it, with him continuously trying to introduce Sera to friends ‘more befitting of someone her status’.

Still, Sera continued to be friends with Adrion and Claire, and it filled life with a temporary peace. She still hated every bully with every fiber of her being, but she wasn’t alone anymore.

For that reason, she was content enough.

* * *

Then everything changed. It started off slowly, but looking back upon it, Sera decided that it began with Leilah leaving home. 

While Leilah had always been warm to her, she was growing distant lately, spending more time in her room, and arguing with Fyora more.

“Narisa asked me to give you this list,” Fyora stated, handing her a slip of paper. “She said you would have to get into one of these universities.”

“What if I don’t want to go to any of those?” Leilah snapped, taking the paper and crumpling it up into a ball. “What if I want to go somewhere else?”

“You will attend one of those schools,” Fyora repeated. “Your mother and father would be very disappointed if you didn’t.”

“No matter what I do, they’ll always be disappointed,” Leilah replied bitterly. “That’s just how things are in this house.”

Both of them went back and forth for a long time, before Leilah finally ran to her room, slamming the door shut and locking it.

That night, when Sera was trying to sleep, she heard Leilah’s door open. Curious, Sera got out of her bed, heading to the hallway. Leilah was in the middle of the hall, typing something on her phone. Beside her was a lilac suitcase.

“Leilah?” Sera said. “Where are you going?”

Leilah whipped around, before giving Sera a calm smile. “I’ll be heading on a trip for a bit. No need to worry about me, Sera.”

“Fyora didn’t mention any trips,” Sera muttered. “Leilah, what’s really going on?”

“I’ll...” Leilah took a deep breath. “I’ll be fine. I need to go somewhere.”

She paused for a second before hugging Sera. “I’ll miss you. Goodbye.”

That was the last time she saw Leilah.

* * *

“Miss Seraphina, Claire is here to see you,” Fyora said. Disgust tinged her voice.

“Let her in,” Sera said distractedly, reading her book.

“Sera! Sera! You’ll never believe this!!!” Claire shouted, slamming open the door to her room.

“Quiet!” Sera hissed. “Mom’s working downstairs, and she’ll kick you out if you distract her!”

“Oops, sorry!” Claire whispered. “Sera, I had a vision of you! You were using an ability, and your eyes were glowing!”

“What!?” Sera said, slamming her book shut. She got to her feet. “Did you see what it was?”

“No,” Claire admitted. “But I’m sure your eyes were glowing!”

Sera deflated. No, she couldn’t get her hopes up. Not after this long. “Claire, this better not be some sick joke.”

“I saw you using an ability!” Claire protested. “You were fighting against someone and-“

“Hilarious,” Sera muttered.

Claire’s smile faded. “... I should probably go before Fyora or Narisa kicks me out. See you at school tomorrow.”

She turned and left, shutting the door behind her. Sera looked back down at her book, but now she was far too distracted. 

Walking across the room, Sera grabbed her clock, concentrating. Nothing happened. The clock ticked on. Discouraged, Sera set the clock back down.

* * *

“You bitch! Just because you’re rich, you think you can stand up to us!?”

Sera was thrown into a brick wall. She coughed, holding her arm.

“Sera, just stay down!” Claire shouted. “You’ll just get hurt!”

Despite Claire’s protests, Sera got back to her feet, glaring at the group of mid-tiers gathered around them.

“How interesting,” the leader, Oliver said. “Even though cripple Sera is the weakest of them all, she puts up the biggest fight.

It must suck to not have an ability, does it?” he teased. “Let me show you what having a useful one is like!”

He raised a hand, preparing to shoot a laser. Sera stared at it and closed her eyes, bracing herself for an attack.

It never came.

Sera opened one eye. Everything was gray, the laser caught mid-fire. Confused, Sera ducked out of the way. As she did so, colour returned to the world, time speeding up as the laser sailed past her head, striking the wall behind her.

“Hey...” Adrion said. “Did she just teleport?”

Sera glanced behind her, seeing the smoking hole in the wall.

“What...?” she muttered.

Before she could puzzle about what had happened, a fist slammed into her cheek. Sera landed on the ground, holding her face.

“Damn brat!” Oliver yelled. “What the hell was that? How did you do that?!”

“I- I don’t know,” Sera said.

A girl placed a hand on Oliver’s arm. “Hey, don’t get so worked up. It was probably a fluke. Let’s just do something more fun.”

Grumbling, Oliver walked off, the group of bystanders dispersing rapidly.

“Sera!” Claire yelled, running up. “Are you okay?

“I just got punched in the face,” Sera deadpanned. “But no, I’m totally fine.”

“But you used your ability!” Claire cheered.

“Your eyes were glowing, and it looked like you teleported!” Adrion agreed. “Kind of like the trick Leilah showed us that one time!”

Sera nodded slowly, looking down at her hands. “I didn’t teleport. Time froze. That means...”

“My vision was right!” Claire cheered. “You have an ability!”

A smile spread across Sera’s face, joy filling her. “I do. I do! I have an ability!”

* * *

The day Sera showed her parents she had powers was one of the few times she had seen Narisa and Alistair genuinely proud of her.

“I knew my daughter wasn’t one of those cripples,” Narisa said, waving a hand. “We must sign you up for ability enhancement as soon as possible. You’ll need to catch up to your peers.”

“It was because of Claire that I figured out I had powers,” Sera said, wondering if this would make her parents like her friend more. “She had a vision of me using them.”

“Really?” Alistair mused. “Perhaps she isn’t useless. She might have some useful visions of you growing stronger. Of course, there’s still that Adrion boy.”

He gave Sera’s head a pat, and immeasurable joy filled her. She’d finally met her parent’s daunting expectations! She could be a daughter her parents were proud of!

She wasn’t useless anymore!

* * *

_With intense training and Claire’s visions, I ended up shooting up the ranks quickly. In a couple years, I was Queen of New Bostin High School._

_But one day, I learned a very important lesson._

_I don’t deserve any power._

* * *

Broken bodies littered the dirt ground, small puddles of crimson pooling around them. Their limbs were twisted and shattered, as if a powerful force had thrown them to the ground.

In the carnage's epicenter stood Sera and Claire. Claire collapsed her knees, her breath coming in quick gasps. Sera was perfectly unharmed, save for her hands, which were thoroughly coated with blood that wasn’t her own. The Queen of New Bostin spoke, her blue eyes cold and calculating.

“Claire,” Sera admonished, as if she was reprimanding a child. “Why did you turn everyone against me?”

Claire didn’t answer, her gaze fixed to the ground. Sera’s expression tightened, and she grabbed a fistful of hair, ignoring Claire’s yelp of pain as she yanked Claire’s head up.

“ANSWER ME!” she shouted.

“You turned them against yourself!” Claire screamed, eyes filling with tears. “Have you seen yourself?!”

She grabbed Sera’s arm, shoving her away. With her other hand, she slapped Sera across the face, backing up.

“Look at what you’ve become! You’re always looking for a reason to beat up others! You’re a tyrant who doesn’t care about anyone but herself!”

“You-!” Sera began before Claire cut her off again.

“You don’t deserve your power!” Claire sobbed. “I never should’ve even helped you. I wish I never met you!”

Her words cut Sera to the core.

“Be quiet!” Sera yelled, eyes stinging.

“Make me!” Claire taunted. “Go ahead and beat me up like you did with everyone else!”

Eyes burning with hatred, Sera grabbed Claire’s shirt, fist raised. The world around them went grayscale, and Claire could not move her body. As Sera swung her fist, Claire’s lips parted, and she said one word.

“Monster.”

-

_“We hereby declare Seraphina Solar expelled from New Bostin High School, and sentenced to three months of readjustment classes.”_

* * *

“You worthless excuse for a daughter!”

A sharp pain exploded across Sera’s right cheek as her mother slapped her. Sera didn’t bother lifting a hand to her cheek, instead watching as Narisa ranted.

“Do you know how much of a scandal this’ll be once the news leaks out!” Narisa yelled. “It will ruin the Solar family reputation! All because you couldn’t just contain yourself!”

“You’re the one who told me to be ruthless!” Sera snapped. “I only-“

She was cut off by Narisa hitting her again. Narisa took several shuddering breaths, her entire body shaking with anger. The world flickered gray as she activated her ability. Grabbing Sera by her ponytail, she yanked her daughter’s head back.

“You’ve ruined everything,” Narisa said. “You’re a failure, just like your sister.”

“I’m beginning to see why Leilah ran away,” Sera coldly replied. “With a mother like you, who wouldn’t?”

Narisa dropped Sera’s ponytail, eyes still glinting. The glow faded, and time returned to normal. Narisa drew herself up, glaring at her.

“Then you’re no daughter of mine,” she snarled. “Have fun in your readjustment classes.”

* * *

Sera sat perfectly still as the instructor, an older man with bright red hair entered the room. Sera shifted, trying to make her wrists comfortable- the metal cuffs she was placed in were chafing the skin raw.

“Good morning,” the man said. “My name is Keon. I’ll be in charge of your instruction for the next three months.”

Sera said nothing in reply.

Keon glanced at the papers in his hands. “Seraphina. Quite an uncommon name. And you’re a late-bloomer. I’ve dealt with kids like you before.”

“I assure you, I’m nothing like them,” Sera said coldly.

“There are always kids like you,” Keon replied, just as frosty. “Those who grow up wishing for the power to stop those who had wronged you, the elites and high-tiers.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Sera challenged.

“Not necessarily,” Keon said. “The problem is that your wish came true, and you now think you can do whatever you please because you have powers and a rich family.

What you don’t understand is that everyone in society has a role to fulfill,” Keon continued. “You’re lost. In a weak attempt to gain stability, you throw your power around mindlessly. With no control, all late-bloomers like you are doomed to fail.”

“Your nothing but a failure.”

Sera jolted to her feet. “Shut up! You don’t know a thing about me! I conquered all of New Bostin in only two years! I worked my way up there, and I deserve that role as Queen! I’ll show you! Even with these cuffs, I can kick your ass!”

Keon watched, unimpressed. “Seraphina, sit down.”

“Make me.” Sera dared.

In a split second, Keon reached out, slapping her across the face.

Sera stumbled back, her cheek stinging. Biting the inside of her cheek, she leapt forward, head butting him.

“Don’t touch me,” she snarled.

With a disgusted look on his face, Keon grabbed her by the head, slamming it into the table. Blood dripped down Sera’s forehead, and her head spun.

“Know your place, child!” Keon shouted. “I’m a high-ranking official! I won’t get tossed around by a power-hungry brat like you!

“This is the aftermath of your little rampage,” Keon continued, pulling a stack of photos from the pocket of his trench coat. “Why don’t we look at it?”

Sera stared at the pictures of the bloodied bodies with a remorseless gaze, eyes flicking to Keon. “Your point? I did what I had to do. They were trying to dethrone me. I defended my title.”

Keon’s expression didn’t change. “And what about these two?”

He held up two last photos. In them, Claire and Adrion laid prone on the ground, unconscious.

Sera’s fists tightened. “What about them? They’re just a bunch of traitors.”

“You have no remorse? No mercy? Not even on your friends?” Keon probed.

Sera stared down at her cuffs, taking a deep breath. “They got what was coming. I don’t regret it.”

“Really?” Keon said. “I’m sure you won’t mind taking another look then. From what I’ve learned, taking a second look can be enlightening.”

His eyes glowed, and Sera was plunged into a cesspool of memories.

Kneeing Adrion in the nose.

Kicking the former Queen of New Bostin in the stomach.

Claire’s tear-streaked face.

All of those and more streamed through her mind until Keon finally removed his hand from her head. Sera was left gasping on the table, trying to catch her breath.

“What the hell did you do to me!?” Sera shouted.

Keon ignored her, shoving the photos closer. Sera flinched.

“If you’re so remorseless about what happened, why can’t you face your actions?” Keon said.

“They got what they deserved,” Sera spat. “I gave them everything with my powers, and they turned on me! They should’ve stayed with me until the end!”

“Side with you?” Keon said. “Why would they side with you after everything you did?”

His eyes glowed again, memories streaming through her mind again. Sera writhed in her seat, trying to shake Keon’s hand off her head.

“Get out of my head!” she screamed.

Keon finally lowered his hand, and Sera choked on air, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Did you finally realize your mistakes?” he asked.

Sera composed herself, though her breathing was still shaky, face still wet. “Go fuck yourself.”

Keon’s expression tightened. “Looks like you still have a lot to learn.”

Try as she might, Sera couldn’t stop Keon from forcing his hand on her head again.

* * *

_Three months later..._

Sera leaned her head against the seat of the bus, rubbing her wrists. While they stopped using the shackles a couple weeks before, she could still feel the phantom sensation of them wrapping around her wrists.

The bus slowly came to a stop, and Sera got to her feet, looking down. She tightly gripped her bag in her arms, wondering who would be there. Narisa had made it clear that Sera most likely would not be welcomed back, but Sera at least hoped that the authorities wouldn’t dump her on the streets with nowhere to go.

Sera stepped off the bus, shooting a glance upwards. She stopped dead in her tracks.

_No..._

Leilah stood at the edge of the curb, car keys in hand.

“Hey Sera,” she said softly. “It’s been awhile.”

* * *

While Sera’s first instinct had been to turn around and walk back to the bus, she somehow found herself in Leilah’s compact car, her sister at the wheel.

“Where have you been all these years?” Sera finally said.

“Well, I secured a scholarship far away from Narisa and Alistair,” Leilah said. “While it was rough at first, I made my way through university. Changed my last name. Got a job at a small company. Now I’m here.”

She glanced at Sera. “How were your classes?”

Sera’s hand instinctively darted to her wrists. “... They were fine. I learned a lot.”

She didn’t miss Leilah’s worried look.

* * *

Sera laid on her bed in Leilah’s small apartment, staring up at the ceiling. She often burned time at the facility doing the same thing, and Sera found that that habit carried over rather easily. While Sera knew she should head outside more, staying in bed was a far more pleasing alternative.

There was a tap on the door, and Sera said. “Come in.”

Leilah entered, shopping bags wrapped around her arm. “How was the apartment while I was gone?”

“Fine,” Sera said, both of them knowing that she hadn’t even left her room. “I was just taking a break. Thinking about stuff.”

“Well...” Leilah said, reaching into her bag. “I’ve got something for you. I heard about this upcoming book I think you’d like. I contacted the author, and he was kind enough to give me an advance copy. Give it a read when you can.”

She set a book on Sera’s nightstand and smiled at her. “I’ll be making some dinner in the kitchen. Feel free to come down and eat with me.”

Leilah turned back off the lights and shut the door. Sera sat in the darkness for a couple moments, before flicking on the light on her nightstand. She grabbed the book, reading the title.

_Unordinary_

_W. H. Doe_

Sera flipped through the opening pages, noting that it was dedicated to the author’s son.

_How embarrassing._

Re-focusing her attention on the book, Sera read the prologue, and found herself enraptured by the premise. A society the complete opposite of their own, where only one man held incredible power. Instead of using it to only help himself, he helped those who couldn’t defend themselves.

Reading the story, it became clear what the author was trying to tell his audience. Sera stared down at the last page.

_I can’t be like the superhero. I was corrupted by power, and only spread violence. I’m not charitable._

_I hurt people._

_I’m a terrible person._

Shutting the book, Sera curled up into a ball on her bed, hugging her knees. She remained silent for a long while, listening to Leilah make dinner in the kitchen. Judging by the crashing noises, it wasn’t going too well.

Sera got to her feet, opening the door to her room. She blinked. After remaining only in her room for a week, it was weird to be walking around the unfamiliar apartment. She headed to the kitchen where Leilah was frowning at the pile of fallen pots like they had wronged her.

“Hey...” Sera said. “Do you want some help?”

Leilah glanced up, surprise flickering over her face. She grinned. “Of course.”

* * *

Sera broke out of her shell once more.

She started small at first, with daily runs with Leilah before her sister headed off to work. Then, Sera began watching fighting videos online, learning how to defend herself properly. When Leilah got back, they would make dinner, then play a couple rounds of cards. Finally, before heading to bed, Sera would re-read Unordinary again- a nightly ritual at this point.

Finally, Sera stared down at an application to Wellston. Ironic. Wellston was one of the schools her parents wanted her to apply to before they finally settled with New Bostin. There had been nothing from her parents since her leave from the readjustment facility, and Sera was fine with keeping it that way.

Leilah helped her finish up parts Sera had trouble with, and they crossed their fingers, sending it through the mail. A little while later, Sera got the news that they had accepted her.

“I’ll be sure to visit from time to time,” Leilah said. She laughed. “Besides, I hear that my company might open a new branch there sometime soon. Maybe I’ll crash at your place for a couple of nights.”

“Maybe,” Sera agreed. Her face softened. “Leilah, thank you for everything. When I- when I was at my lowest point, you helped me get back up.”

“It’s nothing,” Leilah said. “That’s what siblings are for. Just don’t get into any trouble at Wellston, okay? I’d hate for all your hard work to go down the drain.”

“Don’t worry,” Sera said. “I’m not intending to cause any trouble.”

* * *

_Certain roles are impossible to fill._

Long strands of magenta hair fluttered to the ground, everything silent save for the sound of slicing scissors. Sera got out a broom, sweeping the fallen strands in the garbage pail.

_So let someone else take the wheel._

Sera tugged on her uniform shirt and blazer, tying the black ribbon around her collar. She smoothed out the navy fabric, making sure there were no wrinkles.

_Sometimes..._

Sera stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her new hair extensions. Her mind flicked through a mental checklist, making that she had everything. When she was sure that they were perfect, she stepped back and smiled.

_It’s best to just fade into the background._

* * *

Sera sat in class, her eyes fixed on the window. The teacher rambled on in the front about mathematical equations, which Sera paid no mind to- she’d already read ahead in the textbook. The teacher asked her question, and Sera raised her hand.

“Yes Sera?”

“I need to use the washroom,” Sera said.

The teacher looked annoyed, her fists clenching slightly. “... Go ahead.”

Sera got to her feet, rolling her eyes at the teacher’s reaction. What was her damage? As she headed towards the door, another student leaned back in his chair, grinning.

“Don’t die on your way there, Seraphina!” he laughed.

Sera gave him a poisonous look, and the boy didn’t react in the slightest, only giving her a wide grin. A piece of chalk flew through the air, smacking him in the face. Sera smiled.

Exiting the classroom, Sera walked towards the washrooms, fully intending on spending her time playing Angry Pigs. Just as she approached the washroom, the walls rumbled, and Sera took an instinctive step back.

The wall burst open, and a flash of red blurred past her, slamming into the wall. Sera rolled her eyes when she saw who it was. Blyke, the school Jack.

_Not again..._

Another boy stepped through the broken wall, expression furious. A pen with a twisted cap was clenched in his hands.

“You idiot!” Isen shouted. “I lend you my pen for one period, and you go and break it!"

“You didn’t have to hit me so hard!” Blyke shouted. He held up a hand, a laser forming in it. “That shit hurts!”

“Then don’t break my damn pens!”

“You little-!”

Sera watched the chaos unfold, unimpressed.

_I should probably get out of here before I get killed._

She turned on her heel, power walking away as Blyke jumped through the hole in the wall, screeching. She’d just head to the other bathrooms. Sera walked up the stairs, sliding out her phone. She tapped in the password, lazily opening up one of her apps. As she turned the corner to the bathrooms, Sera inwardly sighed.

_You’re kidding._

In front of the washrooms was yet another ongoing brawl, though this one was far more one-sided. A grey-haired senior raised a fist, ready to pummel his victim into submission with a punch. With clenched teeth, Sera rolled up her sleeves. Just as the senior was about to take a swing, she grabbed his arm in mid-motion, stopping him.

“Keep your hands to yourself,” Sera said sternly.

The victim, now free from his attacker’s grip, slipped away, going invisible. Gavin turned to Sera, cracking his knuckles.

“You’ll regret that,” he said. “You just let my meat slip away!”

“He’s not your ‘meat’,” Sera said, raising her fists. “I think you’ll find me a much more worthy opponent.”

Gavin looked at her closely, then chuckled. “Wait! I know who you are! You’re Sera, the school cripple!”

He raised a hand. “You’re ballsy for a cripple. I think I’m going to teach you to know your place.”

Gavin swung his fist, and Sera easily blocked it, before returning one of her own.

_So you want to do it this way? Fine. Let’s do this._

* * *

“Sera, can you go one day without ending up in my infirmary? You broke your arm again.”

Doc crossed his arms, eyes glowing. Sera returned his gaze, eyes just as hard. Her right arm was encased in a blue cast, a sling wrapped around her shoulder.

“How many times do I have to tell you to watch yourself?” he said. “Do you really have to die before you understand?”

“I think you’re underestimating me,” Sera said, leaning back on the cot. “I think it ended up going pretty well.”

Doc pinching the bridge of his nose, muttering something intelligible under his breath. He handed Sera a glass filled with green liquid.

“Drink this. Your arm will heal in three hours,” he said. “I’m gonna lose my job because of you.”

“On the contrary, I give you plenty of business,” Sera said. “It was only Stone-boy today.”

“If you pissed off any of the higher tier students, that could’ve gone far differently,” Doc said. “Then even I-“

“I know, wouldn’t be able to do much,” Sera said nonchalantly. “That reminds me, Blyke and Isen are probably going to be coming sometime soon. They got into a fight over pens in the second-floor bathroom.”

She hopped to her feet, giving him a wave goodbye. “I’d like to leave before this place gets crowded. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

Doc’s hand clamped around her shoulder. Darkness rose behind him, his ability activating. “Nice try. You’re not going anywhere until that arm is back to normal. I’ll notify your teachers that you won’t be attending anymore classes.”

“But-“ Sera started.

“You’re staying right here.” Doc reiterated.

With a huff, Sera sat back on the cot. Doc gave her one last glare, before returning to the paperwork on his desk. Sera slid out her phone, opening the texting function. She tapped out a message, sending the text. A minute later, an answer came.

**_John_ ** _: Im comingh_

Sera smiled. She exited the app, opening up Slappy Pig. After a couple minutes, she heard the door swing open, and Doc sighed, exasperated.

“Ugh... Let me guess, she asked you to bring her company?”

“I’ve got a hall pass!”

“Fine. Don’t cause any trouble.”

Sera looked from her phone, seeing a familiar boy step through the curtain. His messy hair was dark brown, with streaks of bright blue running through it. He also had golden eyes and was dressed in the boy’s school uniform. He held up his chiming phone.

“What happened?” John asked.

“Doc won’t let me leave for another three hours,” Sera said, gesturing to her cast. “Keep me company?”

“I only have a hall pass though-“

“I’ll help you with any homework,” Sera said. “It’s boring being here alone.”

John smiled, and he took a seat next to Sera. The room fell silent, both of them tapping away at their phones. After a couple minutes, a loud rumble came from above them, and Doc slammed his phone to the table, angrily muttering something about teenagers.

“You two stay right there,” he muttered, slamming the door behind him.

The second he could no longer hear Doc’s footsteps, John turned to Sera. “Let’s go.”

Sera grinned.

* * *

“You bought that shirt?” Sera said tiredly.

John frowned, holding his shopping bag close to him. “What? I think it looks cool.”

“It literally says ‘Lame’ on it.” Sera said.

“Your point?” John muttered. “I like it.”

The two of them walked through the mall, shopping bags in hand. They’d spent the day going through several stores, and they were winding down for the day, heading for the doors. John suddenly stopped, staring at a small booth, eyes widening.

“Ooh, look!” John said. “A power reader!”

“John, half the time those things are a scam,” Sera said. “Are you r-“

“There're prizes for people ranked 5+!” John said, already heading for the table. “What’s the harm in giving it a whirl?”

He handed over ten dollars, and the man running the booth placed a hand on his arm. His eyes momentarily glowed, and they widened.

“Eight!” he said. “You’re pretty powerful! You get a prize!”

He grabbed a teddy bear from under his stand, handing it over to John. Grinning, John placed in his shopping bag and whipped around to Sera.

“See! I told you it was worth it!”

The man smiled at Sera. “Would you like your power read too?”

He reached out. Sera jolted, slapping his hand away. If he had time to read her then John-

“Sera!” John said, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“... Sorry,” Sera said, holding her arm close to her chest. “There’s no point in reading my level. I already know what it is. Let’s just get going, John.”

* * *

The next Monday, Sera was walking down the hallway, reading her history textbook. While she had studied for a decent chunk of the weekend, it didn’t hurt to get some cramming in before the test itself. Turning a corner, Sera accidentally bumped into a tall, blond senior.

“Sorry,” she muttered, sparing him the barest of glances, eyes still glued to her textbook.

“HEY! What’re you think you’re doing!?”

A hand grabbed her shoulder, roughly spinning her around. The blond man’s blue-haired companion had grabbed her, fury searing in his eyes.

“Studying?” Sera said. “That isn’t illegal around here, is it?”

“You bumped into the King, and that’s all you have to say?!” the boy snarled.

“I apologized,” Sera said, prying the hand off her shoulder. “What else is there to do? If you excuse me, I have a test in ten minutes that I do not intend on being late for.”

“You-“

“Is this necessary?” Arlo finally interrupted. “You’re making a big fuss over nothing. Just let Seraphina go to her class already.”

“B-but Arlo! She-“

“You have a test soon, right?” Arlo said to Sera. “Good luck.”

“Thanks...?” Sera said.

She walked off, hugging her textbook closer to her chest. From all John had told her about Arlo, she’d been expecting someone far ruder. But he seemed oddly kind. There was one small thing that bothered her, though.

_How did he know my name?_

* * *

As days passed, Sera had other odd occurrences with higher tiers.

“Seraphina!”

Sera turned, seeing an orange-haired junior run up to her. She recognized him as Isen, a member of the Press Team, and a friend of John’s roommate. Why was he approaching her though? They’d never spoken more than a few words to each other, and both him and Blyke kept their distance from her.

“Isen?” she said. “You’re talking to me?”

“You’re Seraphina, right?” Isen said cheerfully. “I see you around with John now and then. The school wants to write an article on the life of a low-tier, and what better to do that than get an interview? If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

“My class is about to start,” Sera said, turning around. “I don’t want to be late.”

Isen laughed, patting her shoulder. “That’s a good one! It can wait. You’re coming with me.”

* * *

Isen dragged her all the way to the library, to an empty table.

“I’m very glad you could make it, Seraphina,” Isen said, holding out a hand. “Please, take a seat.”

Sera did so, keeping her guard up. For an elite tier to suddenly approach her requesting an interview, it wasn’t easy to not be cautious about what might happen.

“You dragged me here,” Sera said. “I only have so much time for my next class, so it’ll have to be quick.”

“That’s no issue,” Isen said, waving a hand. “I’m writing this article to shed some light on low-tiers, so don’t hold back on anything. Your full honesty is encouraged!”

“Really.” Sera said, more as a statement than a question.

“Of course!”

“How generous of you,” Sera said. “I suppose we should begin then.”

“Where are you from?” Isen asked.

“New Bostin.”

“Woah, really! That’s pretty damn far from here!” Isen said. “Is that where you went before coming to Wellston?”

“I’m afraid you misunderstand me,” Sera said, crossing her fingers under the table. She could only hope that Isen’s ability didn’t include truth detection. “I was homeschooled before this. This is the first actual school I’ve attended.”

“That’s right!” Isen said. “That was one of the first things you said when you transferred in! What made you switch?”

“I was homeschooled because of my lack of an ability,” Sera said. “My family wished to protect me. I’ve always wanted to see what a proper school was like, and I didn’t get a chance until recently.”

“Makes sense,” Isen said. “And how has your experience been here so far?”

“Miserable,” Sera said. “I see why my parents wanted me to remain homeschooled.”

“Could you elaborate on that?” Isen said. “For the article.”

“Sure,” Sera muttered. “To put it layman’s terms, low-tiers are essentially treated like dirt by the rest of the school. We’re unable to defend ourselves efficiently from the higher tiers.

Every single time we exit class, we have to be on guard at all times. We can’t voice any thoughts or opinions without fear of violent beatings. One simple run-in could land us in the hospital.”

“Sounds rough,” Isen said vaguely, doodling in his notebook.

_Is he even paying attention?_

“It is,” Sera said tersely. “I’m hoping that your article will help the rest of the school see our point of view.”

“It will, it will,” Isen said. “What do you do to survive this kind of lifestyle?”

“Well, us lower tiers tend to hide out and not ca-“

“No,” Isen interrupted. “I meant you specifically.”

Sera tensed. Alarm bells were going off in her head. “I walk along the edges of hallways. I don’t draw attention to myself. Though, most people already target because they preemptively know I’m powerless.”

She looked down at the table. “If I could suggest a quote in this article, it’d be ‘No one deserves to be treated lesser. If we accept each other di-“

Isen slammed his hands on the table, red eyes glinting. “Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. I have a handful of questions still left to ask.”

Sera bit her tongue. “Very well. What is it?”

“How did you come to pick Wellston?” Isen said.

This is feeling more and more like an interrogation.

Sera’s eyes darted around her, and she shifted, ready to leave. If she screamed, she could draw attention to them, and maybe be able to buy a couple seconds of precious time to escape the library and make a break for her next class.

“I wanted to go to a top school,” Sera said. “I’d made the mistaken assumption that abilities wouldn’t matter so much in an academic program like this.”

“How _ambitious_!” Isen said, leaning closer to her.

_He’s becoming aggressive._

Sera’s fists clenched.

“However...” Isen said. “I don’t peg you as a naïve one. You must’ve done your research, no? You must’ve known that Wellston is considered one of the most powerful schools in terms of ability level. It’s risky for a cripple like you to come here.”

“As I mentioned before, I’d hoped that academics would take precedence over fighting,” Sera said.

“What about your family?” Isen pressed. “Weren’t they protective of you? Surely they would’ve had a say in the matter, especially since you were the only one to lack powers in your family.

How did you persuade them to let you move so far from your hometown, and throw yourself into this kind of environment?” Isen mused, crossing his arms. “Why would they send you halfway across the country like this, if you didn’t have any prior experience? The way I see it, there’s only two options.

One, you somehow convinced them,” Isen said. “Or two, you’re no longer in contact with them. Seraphina Solar, correct? Wasn’t there a company wi-“

“Isen!” Sera growled, grabbing him by the collar. “I came here to talk about my experiences as a low tier, not for you to ask invasive questions about my personal life. My relationship with my family has nothing to do with your little interview.”

She glared at him, gaze steely. “I sincerely doubt that you even intended to write an article in this first place.”

Isen smiled. His eyes glowed, and his hand clamped around Sera’s wrist, placing immense pressure on it.

“You are _so_ lucky John has your back,” he said. “It’d be a shame if something happened to him, wouldn’t it?”

Sera flinched, and Isen lowered her hand, prying her grip off his shirt.

“Get your hands off me,” he said, “Thanks for your time. You should probably get back to class.”

Sera bit the inside of her mouth hard enough to draw blood.

_Keep it together, keep it together._

Colour faded around her, time slowing down. Sera dug her nails into her wrist. The world returned to its equilibrium, as if nothing had happened in the first place. She could hear Isen pause for a second, turning to glance at her once before leaving.

That was too close.

* * *

Isen made true of his threat.

One month’s suspension for John for being in possession of a banned book.

_John’s a complete idiot._

Sera lightly bashed her head against the wall. What the hell was he thinking, leaving that book out? Even with his reputation as school Ace, there was no dodging punishment for an infraction like that. She regretted even letting him leave her house in the first place, at least not without disguising it first.

She sighed, pressing her fingers against her forehead. She’d have to chalk it up as a careless move on both of their parts.

John acted like it was no big deal, but Sera could tell that it bothered him. While she didn’t know the full extent of what his life was like with his father, it was clear that they hadn’t spoken in a long time. Still, John had brushed the whole thing off with his usual carefree attitude, promising to call her every day. He’d left soon after that.

Sera rubbed her arms, re-entering the school. It was a great deal gloomier now that John was gone.

As she walked through the courtyard, a familiar voice shouted. “Hey! You!”

Sera turned, seeing Gavin approached her, cracking his knuckles. His body tinted gray as he shifted forms, eyes glowing an eerie purple.

“I believe we still have some unfinished business,” he said. “I’m not over what you did to me a few weeks ago.”

“I’ve got to go,” Sera said bluntly. “I don’t have time to humour you.”

She took off running, hearing Gavin scream angrily behind her.

“You should really let go of the window thing!” she yelled. “Holding onto grudges is terrible for your mental health!”

Sera twisted around the corner, only to find herself at a dead end. Gavin rounded the corner, chuckling.

“I’ve got you now!” he laughed, swinging a kick at her.

Sera dodged it, sweeping out her leg to knock Gavin’s feet out from under him. Gavin fell, and Sera ran past him, towards the next corner.

_He’s stronger and faster than me. I won’t be able to best him in an environment like this. If I can just get around the corner then I can ambush him the-_

Two arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her to the ground. Gavin sat onto top of her, pushing her head into the ground.

“I’m not falling for any of your dumb tricks again,” Gavin said. “There’s no John here to save you now, is there? Time for some sweet, sweet revenge.”

He wound back a fist, punching Sera in the face.

* * *

“Seriously Seraphina?” Doc said. “John’s been gone for less than four hours, and you’re already parked in here with a black and a broken arm.”

“Very funny,” Sera grumbled. “Why are you so smiley? I fail to see what’s so hilarious about my situation.”

“Keene and I made a bet on how long it would take you to break something after news of John’s suspension got around,” Doc said.

Sera choked on her tonic.

“He owes me fifty bucks now,” Doc laughed, rubbing his hands together.

“Seriously?” Sera muttered.

“Relax,” Doc said, patting her shoulder. “I go on easy on you today for that.”

“Gee, thanks,” Sera said.

“Now if you had come any later,” Doc said, eyes glowing. “I probably would’ve strangled you.”

“Let me guess, another date?” Sera said.

“Bingo.”

* * *

**_John:_ ** _Things went wll with my dad last night. Ended up staying up all nifht playing poker. Good thing theres no school today_

Sera smiled at the text. She walked down the hallways of Wellston, phone in hand. Turning the corner, she almost bumped into someone before they firmly grabbed her shoulder.

“You.” Arlo said. “I thought I told you to watch where you walk.”

“Oh, oops.” Sera said. “My bad.”

Arlo sighed. His eyes darted to her phone for a split second, which still had John’s text plainly on the screen.

“Tch.” he muttered, walking off.

Sera rolled her eyes, continuing to her next class.

* * *

“Augh!”

Sera landed against the wall harshly, biting her tongue. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, and Sera sputtered. Two high-tiers stood in front of her, mildly disappointed looks on their faces.

“That’s it?” one of them muttered.

“Well, what did you expect?” her friend said. “She’s a cripple.”

“Yeah, but it felt underwhelming. I was hoping for more of a challenge, especially after Ar-“

“Let’s just go. She’s not worth it.”

Sera stumbled to her feet, holding her torso. Definitely a couple broken ribs there. While she didn’t want to hazard a visit to Doc, it seemed that there was no other choice.

She headed to the infirmary, where an entirely unimpressed Doc waited.

“Two broken ribs, and a dislocated shoulder,” he said. “You’ve outdone yourself, Seraphina.”

“It wasn’t me who started things this time!” Sera defended. “Two high tiers jumped me while I was heading to the washroom. I didn’t provoke them, I swear-“

“I don’t want to hear it.” Doc said, frustrated. “Seraphina, I’m getting really tired of having to heal you day after day. You should know how to avoid these kinds of situations by now.”

He walked away before Sera could respond. Rubbing her still-aching ribs, Sera went to grab her phone from her skirt pocket. Her stomach dropped. Her phone was shattered beyond repair, the screen decimated. It wouldn’t even turn on.

_Those two-!_

Anger boiling inside her, Sera tossed the phone into the trash and tugged her stained blazer back on. She stomped past Doc, who was chatting on the phone with someone.

Doc slammed the phone down onto the receiver with a loud slam, glaring at her. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I didn’t come to school so I could spend the entire day in the infirmary,” Sera snapped. “I’m leaving for class.”

“Don’t you dare take another step,” Doc said, getting up from his seat, eyes glowing dangerously. “What the hell are you going to accomplish by going out like that?”

“I’m not the one you should be worrying about,” Sera said coldly.

“Seraphina, part of my job is to reduce the amount of student injuries,” Doc replied. “If you leave now, all you’ll do is cause more trouble.

If you have any respect for me, you’ll listen and sit your ass back down.”

Sera stood at the doorway for a long time, both her and Doc glaring at each other. Finally, with a huff, Sera brushed past Doc, sitting back on the hospital bed. “Fine.”

* * *

“Hey cripple! Get out of the way!”

A hand shoved Sera’s back, knocking her to the floor. The papers she was holding spilled out of her hands, fanning out across the ground. Her attacker chuckled to herself as she walked by, high-fiving her friend. Sera clenched her fists.

_Well, that’s just excellent. A topping to the terrible day I’ve had._

Black flats clacked across the ground as a girl approached, kneeling down. Strawberry-pink hair spilled down her shoulders, secured in the back by a bright blue bow. She smiled at Sera, holding out a handful of papers.

“Are you okay?” she said. “It’s Seraphina, right? Here...

_“Let me help you.”_

Strawberry pink hair became mint green, tied into two braids, kind smile guileful. Sera sharply inhaled. She slapped the girl’s hand away.

“Get the _fuck_ away from me!”

The girl drew back, holding her hand. Her expression tightened, and Sera realized with a jolt she knew this girl. Remi, one of Blyke’s friends, and the school Queen.

“I-I’m...” Sera muttered. “Sorry. I thought you were-“

Out of the corner of her eye, Sera saw a bright red beam. She ducked her head forward, raising her arms in defense. Inches behind her head, a locker door hissed, smoke rising from the melted metal.

Blyke stood above her, glowing bright red and fury in his eyes. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t beat your ass right now.”

Sera briefly considered answering, ‘You got out my best friend suspended over a damn book,’, but decided that wasn’t the best option. “I apologize. I mistook her for someone else.”

“What the hell is that even supposed to mean?” Blyke said, his arm beginning to raise.

_“Blyke.”_

Remi grabbed Blyke’s arm. “Just let it go. I’m fine.”

The two of them walked off, leaving Sera alone in the middle of the hallway to pick up her remaining papers.

* * *

“Did something happen at school?” John asked. “You didn’t text back today.”

“My phone got broken,” Sera said.

“Oh, ouch,” John said, wincing. He shuffled in his computer chair, staring at her through the screen. “Seriously, is everything alright? You shouldn’t let something trivial like that ruin your day.”

“It wasn’t just that,” Sera said. “Let’s just say I accidentally angered your roommate.”

“What? How’d you do that?”

“It’s a long story that I don’t feel like recalling. How is the suspended life going with you?” Sera said.

“I’ve been mostly playing video games,” John admitted. “Hard to concentrate on schoolwork when there’s Angry Pigs beckoning me to play.”

“Heh. Maybe your dad should turn off your wifi.” Sera said.

“Oh well,” John said, waving a hand. “I’ve been trying to see how far I can get using only wood. It’s been going... interestingly.”

Sera smiled. “Your optimism is rather refreshing.”

John laughed.

* * *

Sera rubbed her aching arm, fully expecting to see it dotted with bruises the next day. Getting jumped by a low-tier on her way back from the washroom was hardly fun, but at least she didn’t have to incur Doc’s wrath once more.

Re-entering the classroom, Sera nodded at the teacher. She sat down back at her desk, only to hear a snicker behind her. Sera shot a glance behind her, seeing Holden smile at her.

_What’s up with him?_

She shook her head, resolving to just let it go for the moment.

At the end of class, Holden swiftly exited the room, humming to himself. Sera went to pick up her bag, only to find it much lighter than usual.

_What...?_

She unzipped her bag.

Her laptop was gone.

* * *

Sera swung open the door to the rooftop, lip curling when she saw Arlo.

“What’re you doing up here?” she snapped.

“I should be asking you that question,” Arlo said. “This area is for Royals only. Commoners like you don’t belong here.”

“I’m here to eat my lunch,” Sera said, brushing by him. She sat down, grabbing a bite of food.

“Maybe you didn’t hear me,” Arlo said.

“I heard you,” Sera said. “I just made the conscious decision to ignore you.”

Arlo stared at her. “You really aren’t afraid of anything, are you?”

“Should I be afraid of you?” Sera said. “My bad.”

Arlo smiled. “I could crush you in an instant.”

“You won’t.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

“It’s not worth it,” Sera said. “What could you gain from beating up a defenseless cripple?”

“Satisfaction.” Arlo said.

Sera paused, staring at Arlo.

He’s testing me.

“There’s nothing satisfying about beating up someone much weaker than you,” Sera said carefully. “All it does is breed resentment.”

Arlo raised an eyebrow. “You think you understand me, don’t you? Then let me ask you this.”

Arlo knelt down, looking at her right in the eye. “There’s this girl I know. Absolutely useless, with no power. Yet she somehow thinks she can do whatever she pleases. It’s starting to tick me off.

“If you were a Royal, what would you do?”

“I’d be content.” Sera said.

“What?”

“If you try to force someone who doesn’t belong into your rigid set of morals, they’ll only rebel,” Sera said. “If you can keep everyone but one in line, you must be doing your job right.”

She looked down at her lunch tray. “A King or Queen is nothing if their subject refuses to follow them.”

With that, Sera got to her feet, leaving the rooftop.

* * *

_Every single day is the same._

_Wake up._

_Go to school._

_Get beat up._

_And come with nothing to look forward to._

_No John, no Leilah, no one._

Sera dropped her bag to the ground, hands shaking.

_It’s not fair. Why do I have to put with all of this?_

Sera swung her leg into the punching bag. It rattled on its hook, and Sera barraged the punching bag with punches, venting out all her anger.

_I try so hard to be a good person, and all it does is bite me in the ass!_

_They’re all worthless!_

_Those who hold themselves above others as “elites” who flaunt their powers and use it for the most petty things!_

_Those who have just a modicum of power think they can do whatever they want to those weaker than them!_

_Even her!_

_They’re all **WORTHLESS!**_

_-_

_“Seriously, is everything alright?”_

An image of a dark-haired boy filled her mind, and Sera stopped. She looked at the swinging punching bag, collecting herself. Touching her bloodied knuckles, Sera hissed, heading off to the bathroom to bandage her wounds.

* * *

No matter how hard Sera tried to avoid the beatings, they kept on coming.

“Get the hell away from me,” Sera muttered, trying to weave around them.

“‘Get the hell away from me!’” one boy, Tanner mocked with a high-pitched voice. “That new haircut must be messing with your head!”

“I didn’t get a haircut,” Sera said. “It’s called not wearing my extensions for once.”

_None of you are worth it, anyway._

“Either way, don’t forget who the strongest one here is,” Tanner said. “I call the shots.”

He wound an arm back. “And I’ll do whatever the hell I want!”

Sera easily dodged his punch. She grabbed his arm, twisting it behind him before kneeing him in the back. Tanner collapsed to the ground. Still holding his arm, Sera continued to twist it, until she heard a sickening crack.

“I said get the hell away from me,” Sera intoned.

Tanner screamed. “AUGH! MY ARM! GET OFF OF ME!”

Behind him, his friends geared up, ready to attack. Powers activated, they dove for Sera.

_I’m done._

Time came to a screeching halt.

Tanner and his lackey stood frozen mid-movement. Colour leached from their clothes, leaving everything except for Sera a murky. Sera didn’t move, instead choosing to stand still.

It would be easy to pummel them right there. No one would see them, and Sera would never be bothered by them again.

A green-haired girl filled her mind, lips parting to say one word.

_“Monster.”_

Sera closed her eyes.

_I can’t do this._

Time returned to normal.

Illena struck first, her immense strength nearly splitting Sera’s arm. Sera knew right at that moment that all it took was one direct hit, and she’d be out. She punched Illena in the stomach, preparing to throw her to the ground when she saw two beams of energy approaching rapidly.

_Tch. How annoying._

Sera ducked, the energy beams flying over her head. She’d need to take him out if she wanted to-

A teasing voice flitted through the air. “Watch your back~!”

Wenqi ran behind her, shoving Sera’s head down. With that, Tanner leapt up, punching her in the face.

“Surprise bitch!” he yelled.

Sera skidded across the ground, catching her balance. As she struggled to get up, Illena stood above.

“This is payback for earlier, asshole!”

Illena slammed both her fists down on Sera’s back. Sera coughed, warm blood sputtering out of her lips. Tanner gave her a teasing kick. He gestured to Illena to pick her up, and Illena did so, grabbing Sera by the hair.

“How pitiful,” Tanner said. “It’s embarrassing watching you fight. Just stay in the dirt where you belong, cripple.”

Sera barely heard any of it, her vision growing fuzzy. As everything faded, she loosely heard Illena scream something before her world went dark.

* * *

Sera stood on the rooftop of New Bostin High School, staring through the chain-link fence. The door opened, and Sera turned to see a battered Claire walk through.

“Claire,” Sera said.

Claire didn’t reply, instead mutely staring at her.

Sera clenched her fists. “Was it all a lie? Did you do all of this so you could dethrone me and become Queen like Adrion said?”

Claire once again remained mute, tugging on the end of a braid.

“Answer me,” Sera said, finding it hard to remain patient. “Why? What did I ever do to you?”

Claire finally spoke. Her voice echoed dozens of times over. “Everything.”

* * *

Sera jolted awake, holding her chest. Her lungs ached with every heave, and she knew that she had broken a couple ribs again.

_I’m in the infirmary? How?_

Her head whipped around, and she saw Arlo sitting on one of the chairs, reading the school newspaper.

“Look who finally woke up.” he said.

“Why the hell are you here!” Sera shouted.

“I found you unconscious, surrounded by mid-tiers,” Arlo said. “Some thanks would be nice.”

“Thanks,” Sera repeated scornfully. “What’re you planning? Why did you save me?”

Arlo stared at her. “Don’t be so full of yourself. I don’t know what John told you about me, but you’re clearly delusional. Not everything revolves around you, Seraphina.”

“Just- Just leave me alone!” Sera said.

“Very well,” Arlo replied, getting to his feet. “I’m warning you though. You excel at making enemies. Lucky for you, I’m very patient. Do everyone a favour and stop screaming at them when they help you.”

He walked away, leaving Sera in the infirmary alone.

* * *

For once, Sera actually felt kind of bad for something. Arlo had no real reason to lie to her. The only connection that had to each other was that they both knew John. The least she could do was apologize.

Sera opened up the door to the rooftop, seeing Arlo standing by the chain-link fence. Arlo turned.

“You’ve got some serious balls to come up here again.”

“I wanted to talk to you,” Sera said. “I’ll be quick.”

Arlo sighed. “What do you want?”

“I’m sorry for snapping at you while in the infirmary,” Sera said. “I... I wasn’t myself. I’m thankful that you saved me.”

“Is that all?” Arlo said. “Are you done with the corny speech?”

“You’re not making this easy,” Sera muttered. “I appreciate you sticking up for me. Few people are willing to do that for a cripple like me.”

“I didn’t help you because I wanted to be your friend,” Arlo said. “I did it because nothing annoys me more than people disrupting the hierarchy.”

_Hierarchy? Here we go._

“If four mid-tiers team up to defeat a single cripple, that can hardly be deemed fair,” Arlo said. “If it were one on one, you could easily take down each of those students one after the other. It’s only because they teamed up on you that you lost.”

“I think you’re giving me too much credit,” Sera said. “I have no powers. Most of my tricks rely on me stalling long enough before finding a quick exit.”

She looked at her nails. “No matter what I do, I’ll always be on the bottom. No amount of fighting can change that.”

Arlo remained silent for a long time, before he at last spoke. “You confuse me, Seraphina. You claim to be defenseless, but everything I’ve seen suggests otherwise.”

“Well, you wouldn’t be the first person I confounded,” Sera said, a bead of sweat dripping down her face. “Anyway, I wanted to thank you for helping me out lately. I know this good Boba place.”

“I don’t like boba,” Arlo said bluntly.

“Bullshit,” Sera replied.

“We’re not going to the boba place.”

* * *

They ended up at the boba place.

Sera took a sip of her mango boba. “You know, you remind me a lot of John back when I first met him.”

“Oh?” Arlo said.

“Incredibly stern. King. Never wanted to do anything fun,” Sera said. “The similarities are striking.”

“You two seem pretty close,” Arlo said. “How did you manage to get along with him?”

“It started with a slice of that triple chocolate cake,” Sera said, feeling wistful. “I smashed mine into his face when he demanded it. Got the beating of a lifetime. Then we were forced to do a project together. Though it was bumpy at first, we ended up getting along rather nicely, and he even saved me from some bullies.”

“You sound like a handful,” Arlo said dryly.

“Tch,” Sera muttered. “Comes with being a cripple.”

“You can hold your own though,” Arlo said. “Where did you even learn to fight like that?”

“I watched a lot of fighting videos,” Sera said. “And my parents had me do fighting lessons when I was young. They wanted me to defend myself.”

_So I didn’t disgrace my family._

“Are they also cripples?” Arlo said.

“No,” Sera said. “I was the anomaly of the family. My parents and sister both have abilities.”

“What level?” Arlo probed.

“Mid-tier,” Sera lied. She wanted nothing about her family getting out. “What about you? What’s your family like?”

“All high tiers,” Arlo said.

“Interesting,” Sera said. “Do you look up to any of them? Some of them must have similar powers to you.”

“No,” Arlo said. He looked away for a second. “I’ve only ever looked up to one person.”

“Who?” Sera said. “John?”

Arlo choked out a laugh. “Him? Never. It was Rei.”

“Who?”

“My predecessor,” Arlo said. “I never agreed with the way he ran the school, but it was difficult to dislike him. He always seemed to be helping out one person or another. And he was extremely powerful.”

“Sounds like a nice guy,” Sera quipped. “Maybe I’ll get to meet him some day.”

Arlo’s ambiance immediately changed, growing cold. “That won’t be possible. I’m afraid he’s no longer with us.”

_Oh shit. That was the wrong thing to say. He’s dead?_

“Oh.” Sera said. “I’m sorry.”

Arlo got up from his chair. “I’m afraid I have some stuff I need to take care of. This is for my drink.”

He shoved a handful of bills across the table, and Sera looked on in confusion. “Arlo, you didn’t even take the drink-!”

* * *

Sera opened the door to the rooftop again, smiling as she saw Arlo. For all John had complained about him, Arlo wasn’t as bad as she had originally thought.

“Did you enjoy the mango boba?” Sera said. She’d ended shoving the drink into his hands, then sprinted off before he could throw it back at her.

“No.” Arlo said coldly.

“Really?” Sera said. “There must be something wrong with you. Everyone loves mango boba.”

“What’re you doing up here again?” Arlo said, ignoring her.

“Taking a breather before my next class,” Sera said. “Nice and secluded from all the mid-tiers who like to beat me up.”

“How many times do I have to tell you that this place is off limits?” Arlo said through gritted teeth.

“Too many to count,” Sera said. She smiled. “I’m beginning to feel that if you really wanted me off here, you would’ve thrown me out by now.”

“That could be arranged,” Arlo said. Though his voice was still stern, Sera could hear a flit of amusement in it.

Sera turned to the gate, looking out in the distance. “You come up here a lot these days.”

“I can clear my mind here,” Arlo said. “Away from the rabble of other students, and I don’t have to deal with their nonsense.”

“I feel you,” Sera said. She glanced at her phone. “Oh. I’ve got to get to class. You have any plans after school?”

“We’re not going to Woaba Boba again,” Arlo said. “I’m running errands.”

“Mind if I tag along?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Come on,” Sera teased. “Errands always go by quicker when someone’s with you. I’ll meet at the gates outside the school.”

With that, she ran off before Arlo could reply.

* * *

After school, Sera headed out to the courtyard, surprised to see Arlo waiting by the gates, typing on his phone.

“Oh hey, you actually waited for me!” Sera said. “I’m surprised.”

“Let’s just get going,” Arlo said, shoving his phone back into his pocket. “I don’t want to be late.”

* * *

Arlo and Sera stepped off the subway. Sera furrowed her brow at the unfamiliar landscape around her, glancing at Arlo.

“Where are we?” she asked.

“Wellston’s Turf War location,” Arlo replied.

“You took me to Turf Wars?” Sera said. “I’m afraid that I’m not well suited for that kind of environment. Admittedly, I assumed we were going grocery shopping or something.”

“Relax, no one’s fighting,” Arlo said, waving a hand. “I’m just meeting up with some people here.”

He tilted his head. “Besides, with me around, what could happen to you?”

Sera didn’t reply, and Arlo began walking. Sera followed him out to the dirt field where two others waited, both dressed in Wellston’s uniforms.

“There you are, Arlo!” one of them said. “What took you so long?”

“We thought you weren’t going to show up at this rate,” the other agreed with a chuckle.

Sera stared at the two’s faces, realizing with a jolt that they were the same ones who broke her phone. She tensed.

_What’re they doing here?_

“Arlo, what’s going on?” Sera said.

“Hold on,” Arlo said, walking towards them. “Just stay there for a sec.”

“Arlo-!” Sera shouted.

Arlo stepped towards the two students and smiled. He nodded.

“Meili, Ventus, lock her down.” he said.

Sera’s eyes widened.

_What...!?_

Meili’s hands lengthened, forming crimson claws, while swirled around Ventus. They dove for her, wide smiles on their faces. Behind both of them, Arlo stood, a smug look on his face.

A sudden sense of deja vu struck Sera. This had happened before.

_I trusted you._

Sera attempted to dodge Meili’s first swing, but she was still struck, her blazer sleeve tearing. Searing pain erupted in her right arm, and Sera grabbed it, hissing.

“Arlo, what the hell is going on!” she shouted. “Y-“

Purple winds blasted through the air, knocking Sera off her feet. She collapsed back-first onto the ground. She tried to get up, but Meili’s claws nearly pierced her neck, forcing her to remain in place.

Arlo held up both of his hands, giving her a bright smile. “Surprise!”

Ventus tugged Sera up forcefully, pinned both her arms behind her back, then pressed her skull into the ground. Meili stood over her, claws poised to attack.

“Arlo,” Sera growled.

“Oh, how rude of me!” Arlo said. “I haven’t introduced these two yet! This is Ventus and Meili. I believe you met them when they broke your phone.”

Pieces snapped into place for Sera. “You put them up to this, didn’t you?”

“Oh, so you figured it out?” Arlo said. “Took you long enough. You never wondered why I was willing to tolerate you?”

He knelt down, staring at her. “I’m not John. I would never associate with a cripple like you. I warned you. I had no intention of ever being your friend.

In fact,” Arlo decided. “I despise you. The hierarchy was running perfectly until you came and disrupted it by corrupting John with your foolish ideology.”

“I never corrupted John!” Sera countered. “He said himself that he was miserable as King!”

“Whatever,” Arlo said. “The real reason I brought you here today is to put you down.”

“Yeah, you’re such an eyesore!” Ventus agreed. “It’s time that you stepped off your high horse and acted like the peasant you are.”

“Oh, will you just be quiet?” Sera muttered. “You’re not even a part of this conversation.”

“What did you say to me!?” Ventus said, slamming Sera’s head into the ground.

“There’s no one around for miles,” Arlo said. “So we all the time in the world to ingrain this lesson into your head.”

“Beating me up won’t make John King again,” Sera said. “If anything, it’ll make him despise you even more. While I didn’t entirely get it at first, I now realize why he hates you such much.”

“That doesn’t bother me in the slightest,” Arlo said. “You’re completely powerless. Everything that you’ve experienced in the past few weeks was by my will.

Let’s see, what was it?” Arlo said, tapping his chin. “John’s suspension. Isen’s interrogation. Your phone being shattered and your laptop stolen. Your rescue from those mid-tiers. And every encounter we’ve had afterwards. They were all facilitated by me. You have control over nothing.”

Sera shook. The smug look on Arlo’s face seared into her mind, reminding her far too much of Claire.

_I came to Wellston to start over._

_I wasn’t ruthless._

_I didn’t boast about my power, or try to become Queen._

_I didn’t hurt anyone._

_Why...?_

_Why are things like this again?_

Claire’s face flickered through her mind, along with a single word.

_Monster._

Sera spat out a mouthful of blood.

_No. I’m not the monster._

Memories flickered through her mind. Gavin beating her up. Elaine humiliated her on the first day of school. Isen prying into her personal life. Blyke nearly shot her in the head. Getting beat by all those mid-tiers. Arlo setting her up.

_**They’re the monsters.** _

“Got nothing to say?” Arlo teased. “Still processing?”

“...”

“Why don’t you help her out, Meili?” Arlo said.

Meili grinned, diving for Sera.

_“Arlo, **fuck** you.”_

Time stopped.

Meili stood frozen, mid-dive. Sera pried herself free from Ventus’ grip and stood there silently. She stepped out of the way, time returning to normal. Meili stumbled, shocked to see Sera missing. Arlo only grinned, seeing Sera’s glowing eyes.

“I knew it.”

Sera glared at him. Ventus dove her, and Sera froze time around her again. Ventus stood frozen, his face the only thing not trapped within time. He blinked rapidly in shock, staring at her.

“What did you do!?” he demanded.

Sera stepped up to him. “How does it feel to be the one unable to move now?”

“You’re supposed to be a cripple!” Ventus said.

“Looks like we’re both facing massive disappointments today, aren’t we?” Sera said coldly.

She kicked him in stomach, unfreezing time as she did so. Ventus was sent flying, crashing to the ground below. Meilie growled, diving for Sera. She clawed her across the shoulder, raking her nails into Sera’s skin. Sera stared down at the injury. Pink gears spun around her arm, rewinding it to perfectly untouched skin.

“... What?” Meili gasped.

Sera ran, using her abilities to achieve an inhuman speed. She punched Meili in the face, a satisfying crack emanating through the air as Meili hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. Glaring down at the claw marks on her arms, Sera began to repeatedly stomp on Meili, bashing her hands to a bloody pulp.

Ventus grabbed Sera’s arm, panicked. “Stop! You’ll permanently damage her hands at this rate!”

“I don’t recall allowing you to step in.”

Sera whipped around, kicking Ventus in the chest. He fell to the second several feet away, coughing up blood. He tried to get up, only to collapse back down, holding his ribs. For good measure, Sera delivered one last kick to the head.

She turned to Arlo, cocking her head to one side. “It’s just me and you now, Arlo.”

Arlo tensed. Sera leapt forward, speeding up, preparing to punch him.

A barrier sprung up between them. It didn’t deter Sera in the slightest, and she easily punched through it. There was a crack, and Arlo jolted back, blood dripping out of his lips. Sera stared at her broken arm, and pink gears surrounded it, rewinding it to its original state.

Arlo held out a hand, creating another barrier around Sera. She gritted her teeth.

_Dammit. He’s trying to outlast me. He's knows I'm running out of energy. I’ll need to end this quickly._

Sera sped up, repeatedly punching at the barrier. Eventually, a punch broke through, splintering her arm. Sera bit her lip, not rewinding this time. She didn’t have the energy. Instead, she leapt towards Arlo.

_There!_

Time froze around Arlo’s arms and legs, leaving him immobilized. Sera walked up to him, gasping for breath. Clenching her fists, she punched him in the face. Then again. Then again, and again, and again, completely remorseless.

Finally, she released the time freeze, and Arlo fell to the ground. Sera stepped on Arlo’s face, digging his skull into the ground. 

“If anyone finds out about what happened here today, I’ll destroy your precious little hierarchy.” she said.

* * *

Sera walked down the path to her home, holding her bloodied arm. With adrenaline long worn off, Sera was ashamed of herself for snapping and letting loose her powers. While she wasn’t upset for getting revenge on Arlo and the others, she was angry for using her powers to do so, upsetting all the ideals she had put in place for herself.

Once the shame dissipated however, anger filled her.

_First Claire, now Arlo! What the hell does the world have against me! Why can’t I ever catch a damn break!_

With a growl, Sera grabbed her bag, throwing it. It bounced against one of the poles outside of her home with a loud thud.

“Sera?”

John stepped down from the porch, duffel bag beside him. He picked up her bag, turning to face her.

“Long time no s-“ his expression shifted to pure horror. “Sera, what the hell happened to you?”

“What are...” Sera didn’t finish the sentence, instead collapsing to her knees, right there on the sidewalk. Bag forgotten, John ran up to Sera, hands pressing onto her shoulders.

“You’re covered in blood!” he said. “Who did this to you?!”

“I...” Sera began. Her entire body shook.

_I thought I had another week to get things back in order! Why is he back early?! I’m still- I’m still-_

“John,” Sera said, her voice shuddering. “Please don’t look at me.”

_I’m a pathetic excuse for a human being._

Her lip quivered, tears spilling over her cheeks. Sera cried silently, and John held her, confusion written all over his face. He gently lifted her good arm, looping it around his shoulder. Sera stumbled to her feet, and John helped her walk the rest of the way home, only stopping to grab their bags.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s just get you inside.”

**Author's Note:**

> Whew, finally got this done!
> 
> Originally, I intended to pretty much cover everything shown in Claire's flashblacks in Chapter 181-85, but decided against it. Don't want to reveal all the cards at once. Plus, I was already at 12k words at that point, so I figured it was time to end it.
> 
> When I first thinking of writing this and Perfection, they were intended to be a single one-shot of pretty much everything up to Ch.60. Things changed obviously, and I'm glad I ended up splitting them up, because the thing would've been over 25k words long.
> 
> I also intended to stop there, but now I'm kind of into this idea? I'm thinking of covering the rest of S1, then hopping onto the speculation train in Season 2, and completely diverging from canon as a whole. Of course, with Unordinary still updating weekly, that might be due to change, but we'll see. 
> 
> At the moment, I've got a mostly-finished outline about how the next installment would go, and I'd probably try to release chapters on a bi-weekly basis. Of course, if anyone here has read any of my other fics, than you know that my update consistently is absolute crap, but I digress.
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> \- Book Mage


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